NERVOUS!!

Okay, here I am six days before surgery and I can't sleep, I'm having spells of tearfulness, and my gut is wrenched with thoughts of "what happens if I don't wake up from anesthesia?"!! Someone out there PLEASE tell me that you have experienced the same jitters prior to this surgery. I have waited seven months to get the approval, three weeks since I scheduled the date and I can't get these feelings calmed. I trust Dr. Houston implicitly, I have complete confidence in my anesthesia team and my mind KNOWS that everything will be fine, but I still have this urge to write letters to my closest family members. I am a RN at the Women's Hospital - so I have the advantage of knowing my team from start to finish. And it is not even the fear of dying that is getting to me. It is that supportive husband, angelic one year old daughter, the brother who can read me like a book and so on, that I'd be leaving behind. Please send up some positive thoughts and prayers for me as I enter my less than one week countdown. God Bless and have a Merry Christmas, Shannon

Hi Shannon, I am scheduled for Dec 27th, this Monday! I understand your fears and have thought them myself, but I rationalize it that it is like plane crashes, you only hear of the ones that crash, you don't hear of the thousands, if not millions that arrive perfectly safe. I've been a widow for over 2 years. I am a good person, I think, work full time, nice home, lots and lots of good friends, a bit talented, funny, people say they like to talk to me, but men are just not interested in a heavy woman! I know this is for my health, too, but I am so lonely. My sons all have their own lives. I know I will be able to do so much more when I lose this access weight and will feel better, too. If you know the staff, you should know they will go above and beyond to take good care of you! Let us hear from you after this is behind you. God bless and care for you. Barbara

Barbara, Thank you for your encouraging words. I know that this surgery is the best option for me. I want to be able to cahse this soon to be little toddler around and play with her as she grows and not feel as if I don't have the energy to haul myself off of the couch! Best of luck to you on Monday! Let us know how you do. Shannon

HI SHANNON, I'M FEELING THE SAME THINGS YOU ARE. I WAS OK UP UNTIL ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO WHEN THIS MAJOR FEAR SET IN AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I HAVE COME SO CLOSE TO CANCELLING THIS SURGERY A FEW TIMES IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. I HAVE PRAYED AND PRAYED AND WAS GIVEN SOME VERY GOOD ADVICE FROM SOME VERY NICE PEOPLE ON THIS SITE, BUT I CAN'T SEEM TO GET PASS THE FEAR. I'M STILL SO TERRIFIED AND IF I DON'T FEEL BETTER ON MONDAY WHEN MY SURGERY IS SCHEDULED, I'M AFRAID I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CALL THIS WHOLE THING OFF. THE STRANGE THING WITH ME IS EVERYTIME I THINK ABOUT GOING INTO SURGERY ON MONDAY I DON'T SEE MYSELF PASS THAT POINT AND THAT SCARES ME. I CAN BE POSITIVE FOR EVERYONE AROUND ME, BUT I CAN NEVER SEND THAT POSITIVE ENERGY MY WAY. HANG IN THERE AND I WILL KEEP YOU IN MY PRAYERS AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU WITH A SPEEDY RECOVERY. TAKE CARE AND BE BLESSED. YVETTE